To Hell And Back
by Purple Pizza
Summary: Solangelo Two shot inspired by the story of Orpheus from Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes. Nico leaves for a quest after an argument with Will. It doesn't go well.
1. Chapter 1

**So I posted this and then completely rewrote it so I doubt there will be many similarities.**

 **Based on the chapter _Orpheus Takes A Solo_ in _Percy Jackson and the Greek Heroes._**

 **I apologise for nothing.**

* * *

Fighting, of course, was natural for couples, but Will and Nico had never argued like that. They had stormed away in opposite directions, Nico off to prepare for his death sentence of a quest, and Will in search of solitude in his cabin.

He was absolutely fuming. Nico was stubborn but he was actually going to risk his life like this? Did Will mean that little to him? And Nico's comment about Will's lack of fighting skills had been a low blow. Will was so wrapped up in his anger at that moment. He refused to leave the cabin - even after Cecil, Kayla and Jason had all begged him to make amends and that he would regret not talking to Nico before he left.

But Will was nothing if not stubborn. There was no way he was being the first to apologise.

It wasn't until after the party had left and it was too late that Will realised exactly what he had said.

And that's when the guilt set in.

* * *

It had been two weeks.

Two weeks he had been unfocused and distracted. He hadn't been himself. Lou Ellen had taken to avoiding him after he'd had a go at her for no apparent reason. The entirety of Camp Half Blood agreed that the sooner the son of Hades returned, the better for the Apollo cabin counsellor - and everybody else's sanity too.

Worry and guilt and regret had been eating away at him and driving him to madness. He wasn't sleeping. He wanted to take back those last words. He wanted to kiss away the anger. He wanted- no needed- to apologise. He needed Nico back. He needed him to be okay.

On the fifteenth day, not that Will was counting, he noticed shadows growing at Half Blood Hill just after breakfast.

Will ran from where he had been sitting with Austin to where Nico was arriving, to first apologise, then to lecture him about shadow travelling; he had no doubt done it recklessly. But Will had only taken a few steps when Nico collapsed and Alice from Hermes screamed for help. Will's pace increased.

Frighteningly pale skin. Dark matted hair. Ripped clothes. The only colour was Red. So much red.

The apologies died on his lips at the sight of all the blood. To make matter worse, Nico appeared to be starting to fade. He had clearly over exerted himself and that made Will's job all the harder. Will tried to lift him but Nico was like a fog; Will's hands slipped straight through. There wad no time to move him anyway. He yelled for bandages, ambrosia, nectar, anything he could possibly need. He fed Nico some nectar and he began to solidify. Will began removing his clothes. Peeling them off his fragile body. He had to stop the bleeding.

Where to start? Will counted so many injuries. He blocked the voices of Nico's quest companions telling him what had happened, and how Nico had been so heroic. Will began to chant as he wrapped the wound at Nico's middle, the one that seemed the largest, the one that was the most life threatening. Will worked so desperately but Nico was losing too much blood.

He couldn't let him die. Will cared. Will cared so much it pained him. Tears blurred his vision and his voice cracked as he prayed to Apollo. Begged for Nico's life. "No. Nico, don't do this to me. Don't _do_ this! Please, I'm sorry, I'm _so_ sorry. Father, _please_ , save him! I can't-" his voice choked. Will could _feel_ him fading. He could feel the futility of his efforts. He knew the truth but that didn't stop him from trying. It just wasn't an option. It couldn't be an option.

But it wasn't enough.

An agonising scream rang out through the camp. Will screamed as he held the body of Nico di Angelo in his arms for the very last time. He had failed again when it mattered the most.

Nico was gone. Nico was dead. He would never hug him again. They wouldn't ever kiss again. He lost his Death Boy. His Angel. Nico would never again complain about all his little nicknames or call him an idiot.

Will ignored all the people around him. Their voices passed him by like water on oil. He didn't hear a word. He just sat. Rocking Nico back and forth. Back and forth. He didn't care about them. Didn't have it in him to care. He only cared about the one in his arms.

Will was supposed to be a healer. The only one of his father's talents he had gained. He couldn't even do that properly. He couldn't do anything right. He was a failure. He failed Nico. He had said he didn't care. He cared too much. So much it hurt.

Everything hurt. Will wanted to forget it all. That one time Jason had joked about their wedding and the pair had ended up arguing about whether Will di Angelo sounded better than Nico Solace. All those campfires when the firelight lit up his shadows and they both sang a little too loud but neither cared. When the Demeter kids yelled at them for making out in the strawberry fields but they were secretly thankful that Will made Nico happy enough that he didn't kill the plants by mistake. Thinking about those things were like driving a sword through his heart.

Will had never known it was possible to feel so strongly about someone in such a short space of time. It was unfair that Nico was gone so soon. Will just wanted him back. He wanted the pain to end.

That night Will didn't sleep. He was sure he had cried all the water in his body but somehow he always found more tears. He didn't want his sobs to disturb the rest of his cabin so he found himself in Nico's bed.

His pillow still smelled of him.


	2. Chapter 2

Will had been to the Underworld once before. Hades had wanted to meet the one making his son so happy. The whole thing had been a complete debacle but Will had never been more thankful for the experience because he now stood, for the second time, at the steps of the Palace of Hades. He wasn't sure he needed to knock his heart was beating that loud, but he did so anyway.

He had no idea what he was going to say. What did he even want from the king of the Underworld? What was he thinking, disturbing a _god,_ his boyfriend's father, no less?

Oh. Late boyfriend.

The door opened by itself after a couple of moments. Will anxiously stepped through. It was even colder than Will remembered from last time. Was Hades also grieving for his son, or was Will just unwelcome?

"In here, son of Apollo," Hades called.

Will gulped and followed the sound of the voice into the grand hall. Will instantly fell to his knees before the deity.

"So," Hades boomed. "You think because you were welcome here once, you can just wander in to my realm? I seldom permit living souls to enter my domain without my express permission."

Will stayed silent and stared at his hands. Why was he here? To beg for Nico's life?

"And after the words you last exchanged with my son, I am seeing few reasons not to blast you through my floor."

Will braced himself. This was the end. He had pissed off a god. "I'm sorry I let my temper get ahead of me. My intentions were honorable. I love Nico and I just wanted to protect him," Will told Hades. His voice was hoarse from hours of screaming and crying. "I'm sorry I failed."

"Rise, son of Apollo. Your time is not up yet." Hades had a strange expression on his face, like he was trying to make a difficult decision. At last he spoke again. "I will offer you an opportunity I have offered once before. May you succeed where he did not and you will get your wish. This is also your chance to gain my approval of your relationship with my son."

Will couldn't believe it. Hades was _forgiving_ him?

"But," the Lord of the Dead continued. "You must prove your love. I will release my son's soul and he will follow you out. But only your love can guide him. You must not turn to face him until you reach the sunlight. If you cannot trust him you shall lose him forever."

Will nodded. "I can do it. Thank you, Lord Hades. I won't let Nico down."

Hades brushed him aside dismissively and Will bowed again and fled from the palace.

It was a long, tempting walk through the Underworld. He could feel a presence behind him. He desperately hoped it was Nico. He didn't want to believe Hades would be cruel enough to lie to him just to get him out of the Underworld.

He did not turn.

Will kept walking, one foot in front of the other in front of someone he wasn't entirely certain was there.

No. Nico was there. He had to be.

Will began to talk. He talked about all the things Nico had missed while he was on his quest. The pranks from the Hermes cabin. A call from Reyna.

But he avoided the subject of how he had been. Will knew he wouldn't be able to talk about feelings without looking at Nico, and looking at Nico would mean he would never have the chance to talk about his feelings.

He'd lost Nico once and would forever blame himself. He would do his dammed best to make sure he didn't mess up this second chance.

He hadn't told anyone at camp where he was going. He was sure they would be frantic that he was missing. Lou Ellen would probably kill him when he got back.

He also didn't know how he would explain Nico's reappearance. He hoped people would brush it aside like they did with Hazel. But nobody had seen Hazel die; nobody had known her before.

Will would solve that problem later. He had to do this. If he failed then he didn't know what he would do. The hope was overpowering.

Charon made a comment about disliking returning souls to the mortal world.

Will's heart soared. Nico was there. The journey across the Styx was a lot easier on the return.

At the other end he left the boat, turning his back on the Underworld. He had the overwhelming urge to turn. But the thought that he could _save Nico_ won out. He focused his gaze straight up towards the light. He had almost made it. He was almost there.

He kept going. He could almost smell Nico. He couldn't hear footsteps, but Nico usually walked as silently as possible so that didn't worry him.

Will stepped into the light.

He had done it. He had made it.

Elation bubbled up inside. He turned. Finally.

Then his heart stopped. He was alone. It had been a trick; only a foolish trick. There was no Nico.

"No," Will choked. He sank to the floor, burying his face in his hands. This was cruel, this was torture. To heal his despair with hope, only to crush him again. " _NO_!" His throat was agony. Everything was agony.

Will was even more distraught than before. And this time he was alone. He had been tricked. A foolish trick.

And then suddenly he wasn't alone. He sensed somebody crouching next to him and a hand on his arm. A shaky voice called out to him.

"W-Will?"

Will gave a roaring sob and flung his arms around Nico, burying his face in his neck.

"You were gone. I let you die. Oh gods, Nico, you're alive! If you ever die again, I swear I'll kill you," Will muttered into the skin he never thought he'd feel again. "I'm so sorry. I failed you." He pressed a hand into Nico's neck, relaxing when he felt the constant pulse beneath his fingers.

Nico wrapped his hands around the back of Will's head and kissed him softly. They rested their foreheads against each other's. They were both crying.

"You saved me, Will. I should've listened to you. Next time I go on a quest I'm taking you. And I'm sorry. For the argument."

" _You're_ sorry? It was all my fault. I should've had more faith in you."

Nico tried to interrupt. "But you were right, I d-"

Will cut him off. " _Don't_ say it. If you were anything like me you weren't fighting your best. I should've had more faith in you and I definitely shouldn't have said what I did. I swear I didn't mean a word. I love you so much. I even faced your dad alone."

"I saw," Nico replied. A distant look settled on his face. "It was strange. I've been to the Underworld so any times but it's very different when you're dead. I didn't want to be there. Thank you," he said, turning back to Will. "You were so brave. I didn't think I could love you any more until now. And I forgive you."

He kissed Will again. And again.

Next thing Will knew, Nico was shadow travelling them to his cabin. Will barely noticed being pressed against the wall; the only thing that mattered in that moment was that Nico was _warm_ and _there_ and _kissing him,_ and he hadn't thought things would ever be this perfect ever again.

It felt almost like a dream.

* * *

 **I might do a chapter three? Maybe?**

 **Honestly, I don't think I got the characters perfect. I know I'm not the best author.**

 **I hope you liked this! :)**

 **Disclaimer (I forgot again): I don't own the characters, this is inspired by the works of Rick Riordan and Greek Mythology**


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